Within These Walls

Chapter 6

If that's his conclusion after the last few hours, he's sorely mistaken.

I look over his shoulder at Willow. She's at Marcus's table now, talking with the muscled guy across from her. Another one stands by her chair, his hip pressed against the edge of the table and his body angled toward her. He's the tallest guy I've seen in this place, wide-shouldered and built like a linebacker beneath his white t-shirt. Dark straight hair reaches past his pierced ears and falls over his forehead. He's smirking down at Willow.

Her stiff shoulders speak volumes. She doesn't like the attention.

"Who's he?" I ask. "The guy next to Willow?"

Alec glances over his shoulder. His smile has faded when he looks back. "Eli."

The word is heavy with loathing. I can't imagine what this boy has done in a few hours to warrant such a reaction, but I'm wary of him, too.

"What's Marcus up to?" I ask.

"World domination."

When I give him a look, he adds, "He's assigned jobs to people so far. A few kids picked for kitchen duty. Four of the bigger guys in charge of maintaining order. And we've got that one dude playing bouncer in front of the kitchen. Marcus also asked everyone to act as spies and report everything to him."

He is a dictator. "What do you think about him?"

Alec shrugs. "Not the most level-headed guy around, but we need strong people in charge."

I didn't expect Alec to challenge Marcus, but I thought he'd see the threat. Maybe they're more alike than I thought.

"You said you're from Pennsylvania?' he asks.

I nod as I scoop rice onto my fork.

"Which part?"

"Think capital of Pennsylvania."

"Wait—wait. I know this." He closes his eyes and the space between his eyebrows creases. His eyes pop open. "Bismarck."

"Not even close," I say with a laugh.

"Phoenix? Trenton? Des Moines?" He lets out a long, weary sigh. "Put me out of my misery and give me the answer already."

"Harrisburg. And with the way you were rattling off names just now, something tells me you're not as bad at geography as you'd like me to believe."

Alec laughs. "Yeah, well, let's keep that between us. Girls don't go for the studious type. They'd rather drool over bad boys who'd break their hearts in a second."

"Like Marcus?" I ask. The three girls in his close vicinity are very much close to doing just that.

He snorts. "Exactly."

"So . . . you like to study?" I ask him. He sure as heck doesn't look like one.

"I like to read. Mostly boring science-y stuff. So what's home like?" Alec holds up a large hand with long and tapered fingers. "Don't tell me. A nice house in a quiet neighborhood. White picket fence. Your dad works a lot, but your mom is always home baking cookies and handing out lemonade to your friends when they come around. Am I close?"

My smile has disappeared by the time he's done. I nudge my chin in Marcus's direction. "Shouldn't you get back to your friends?"

"Come with me."

My gaze falters, and I look down at the table. I steel myself and look back at him. "Listen, Alec, I don't know you any more than you know me. This isn't a high school party, and you're not picking up some chick for a good time. This is—I don't know what it is, but we have bigger things to worry about than whatever you think will happen between us. Because nothing will happen. I'm really not interested."

He raises his eyebrows. I watch him warily.

"Actually," he says, "I thought you'd want to know what your friends have found out by now. You've been glancing at them every few seconds since I sat here."

"Oh." I fumble for words, but I can't do anything except sit there and let a flame spread across my face. Now he probably thinks I'm vain for assuming he's interested in me. "Do you think Marcus will mind?"

Alec chuckles as he stands up. "He didn't expect you to accept his offer. Actually, he was probably betting you wouldn't."

"Why?" I ask, falling in step with him.

"I pointed out some reasons why recruiting you would be in his best interest. Reasons good enough he'd look petty if he said no."

"So he made me turn him down." I'm annoyed but also impressed. "For a dumb brute, he seems to have some higher cognitive abilities."

Alec gives me a sidelong glance. "You talk about him a lot. That'd make a guy jealous."

"Do you want me to call you a dumb brute, too?"

"I don't mind." He gives me another one of his trademark grins. "Because I know you wouldn't mean it."

I can't be imagining his flirty tone this time. I hurry to avoid having to answer him. Willow gives me a tight smile when we reach her. The Eli guy still hasn't moved from her side. This close, I can see the steel barbell in his eyebrow and the darkness in his eyes.

Carson isn't faring much better. He sits a couple of chairs to her right, two other guys on either side of him. One of them has his hand around his nape.

"Captain!" the other calls out to Marcus. Marcus is at the other end of the table, feet propped up on the edge. "Think we can keep this one? He's got the funniest hick accent."

"I want to talk to you," I say to Willow and Carson.

Carson tries to stand, but the dark-haired guy next to him doesn't remove his hand from his neck. He has a thick brow ridge and a big nose flared with disdain. Not the most attractive guy I've seen, nor the kindest-looking.

"Your boy is our pet now," he says. "He stays."

"Hey, I'm not here for y'all to—"

He leans down close to Carson's face. "Either you're funny or you're pissing me off. What'll it be, Hillbilly?"

"Leave him alone." I grab the bully's arm and wrench it away. Don't get involved, cautions the ever-present voice, but I can't sit by and watch Carson get pushed around. He's too good for these clowns.

The bully turns to me. "What the hell is your problem?"

"He's not here to entertain you," I say. "He came to do an important job that's going to help us all. And you're in the way of that."

In a quick move, he winds one arm around my waist and jerks me against his chest. "You taking his place, baby? Because that's one trade-off I'd be more than happy to accept."

His friends laugh. So do some of the girls, including my roommate. I haven't seen much of her since we left the block, but here she is, smiling like this guy is anything less than a creep.

I try to pull free, but his grip is too strong. A familiar feeling of panic rises to my throat. "Let me go."

"Yeah, let her go, man," Alec says as he steps up next to us. He places a hand on Big-nose's forearm. "She's off-limits."

"Stay out of this. It's obvious she wants—urgh!" He clutches his face and staggers back.

Marcus shoves past me. "I ask you to keep things under control and this is what you do instead? Keep your goddamned hands to yourself."

"Whatever, man." His nose is bright-red now, calling more attention to itself.

"Get outta here," Marcus barks at Carson. "I'm tired of looking at your stupid face. And I'd suggest you do the same, Frizz."

"Gladly." Willow glances at me as she and Carson get up. "Come on, April. I'll fill you in. You'll want to hear this."

I step after them when a hand grabs my wrist. I'm face-to-face with Marcus again, staring up at his dark eyes brewing with anger.

Crap.

"You and I are going to have a word, Rose."